While there has been some discussion as to an urban legend that the word
picnic is derived from the term "pick a ni$$er," one can say that this is
not the case. Yet, with the majority of myths circulating if one digs deep
enough the is a modicum of truth that is usually wrapped in a lie. 

As genealogists, both amateur and professional, it is our duty to seek the
truth. The word picnic does have a connection not to derogatory terms about
African Americans. But, it does have a connection to derogatory actions and
terrorism done to African Americans. 

The lynching of African slave descendants in the South especially during the
post "Reconstruction" era and the days of the "Jim Crow" laws took on morbid
carnival atmospheres including picnics, picture taking, and postcards. These
are no urban legends. The work picnic can be considered derogatory as these
public spectacles and historical proof in the words of the terrorists
themselves are preserved for the whole world to see.

For referential documents see the following:
	http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/question/jan04.htm -picnics and negro
barbeques
	http://www.withooutsanctuary.org - historical postcards and pictures
of public lynching of African Americans and one Jewish man, Leo Frank, of
Marietta, GA, (who was exonerated in the late 1980's by the Georgia State
legislature ~ 80 years too late) same as the U. S. Senate apology on
lynching
	Finally, the February 19, 2005 issue of "The Virginian Pilot" on
page B10, one finds the story, "Allen gives Americans a lesson about
lynching"

These are factual documents with plenty of references that show the
relationship of picnic and barbeque and their relationship to American
Southern Caucasian terrorism perpetrated on American citizens of African
descent and sanctioned by the Federal government through their
non-intervention.

So now you know the rest of the story, and have a good picnic or barbeque
even though it is now illegal to watch a ni$$er swing.

Glenn C. Gregory,
Bred, born, educated in the Commonwealth of Virginia and proud of it!!

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ray Terry
Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2007 4:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: derogatory terms

In a message dated 6/23/2007 3:19:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
[log in to unmask] writes:

> I heard many years ago that pic nic, was a derogatory term for African 
> Americans. I did not research this term, but understood that it referred
to 
> finding and killing a black person, and then having a Pic nic. Maybe
someone 
> 
> else knows exactly what the historical significance is of this word.
> 


"Pic nic" does not appear in a long list of derogatory terms on the
Wikipedia 
web site

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offensive_terms_per_nationality





**************************************
 See what's free at http://www.aol.com.